Stealing opportunity from young people is not an investment in the future

“Young people are screwed.” That was the message President Obama conveyed to America’s youth in the first State of the Union address of his second term, according to one engaged group of young adults.

Generation Opportunity is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization developed to educate and organize young Americans. The group focuses on finding solutions to problems such as the lack of job opportunities, while also tackle other national challenges, like debt and federal spending.

The organization wasted little time responding to the president with this statement:

photo credit conservativewatchnews

President Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress tonight, outlining an agenda that will continue to deprive young Americans of economic opportunity.

Young adults continue to suffer disproportionately from the poor economy. According to Generation Opportunity’s latest Millennial Jobs Report, 13.1% of 18-29 year olds are unemployed. That figure doesn’t even include an additional 1.7 million young adults no longer counted because they have stopped looking. Effectively, 16.2% of young people are out of work.

“Tonight’s speech indicates that young people will be screwed even more in the next four years than they were in Obama’s first term. When the President talks about ‘investing in the future,’ he really means stealing prosperity from young Americans to pay for a bloated, out-of-control, and unsustainable federal government,” said Evan Feinberg, President of Generation Opportunity.

“I am disappointed that young Americans – who voted to re-elect this President – are going to be subjected to the same tax and spend policies that have left us holding the bag. In his speech, the President proposed billions in new ‘stimulus’ spending, doubling down on economic policies that have done little but steal our generation’s prosperity.”

Young Adults on Government Spending and Debt

Only 36% of 18-29 year olds agree with the statement “generally speaking, things in the United States are heading in the right direction.”

72% would decrease federal spending if given the opportunity to set America’s fiscal priorities.

61% would decrease taxes on individuals if given the opportunity to set America’s fiscal priorities.

Only 38% believe that today’s political leaders reflect the interests of young Americans.

For Generation Opportunity, the polling company, inc./WomanTrend conducted a nationwide online survey of 1,003 adults ages 18-29 between July 27 and July 31, 2012 with a ±3.1% margin of error. Full methodology available upon request.

Released by Generation Opportunity, a national, nonpartisan youth advocacy organization arming young people with the knowledge, resources, and tools to advocate for policy solutions that expand economic opportunity for our generation